In the aftermath of age-old, institutional and colonial maltreatments, the First Nations in both Australia and America are working through the need for reconciliation on many fronts.
Ironically these First Nations experienced an ‘exodus’ from their known world, into one that ‘mushroomed’ around them unabated, without stepping out of the lands they had lived on for generations.
In the rapidly developed western nations, they often remain the ‘unseen’ and ‘secondary’ groups of people. Sadly many of us who emigrated into western countries over the last half a century or so only get to hear of the First Nations in the periphery of our lives and news items.
Various bodies like the 1Common Grace’ of Australia strive to reconcile the past with the rapidly growing present and future around them.
‘This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is ‘50 Years of Deadly’. In Aboriginal communities, deadly is a term of high praise. It describes something or someone as excellent, inspiring, strong, and worthy of celebration. More than a compliment, it is a language of resilience and pride that honours the gifts, leadership, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.’
Naidoc Week 2026 https://www.naidoc.org.au/
Today we pay tribute and honour all First Nations for their drive to reconcile the wrongs of the past with the hope of future aspirations – a mammoth task, but one worth striving after.
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